Microbial Quality of Food Establishments in Dubai

In the recent past, Dubai has become a global hub of culinary excellence, and it needs to continue to maintain high food microbial quality to protect its reputation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial quality of food contact surfaces and the hygienic status of the food environment (including food handlers) across various food service establishments (restaurants, cafeterias, and supermarkets) that offer ready-to-eat food in Dubai. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using 947 swab samples from 308 establishments, including 777 restaurants, 78 cafeterias, 44 cafeteria-cum-restaurants, and 48 supermarkets. Swabs were collected from 861 food contact surfaces, including 25 grinders and stirrers, and from employees' hands or hand jewelry (n = 61). Most samples (n = 824 or 87%) met national microbial quality standards, leaving 123 unsatisfactory. Restaurants were found to have the highest number of unsatisfactory food contact surface samples (n = 105), followed by cafeterias (n = 15), and supermarkets (n = 1). Personal and equipment swabs were satisfactory, except for two restaurant equipment samples that showed elevated Aerobic colony counts (ACCs). Contamination occurred only on food contact surfaces. The mean ACC levels were 3.9 log cfu/100 cm² for equipment (range: 3.65-4.08) and 3.7 log cfu/100 cm² for surfaces (range: 3.04-6.40). Enterobacteriaceae (n = 53) and E. coli (n = 12) were found only on surfaces, with average counts of 2.81 and 1.73 log cfu/100 cm², respectively. In conclusion, while most samples complied with microbial hygiene standards irrespective of establishment type, future studies utilizing proportionate random sampling of food service establishments are recommended to more accurately assess the extent of noncompliance. An enhanced focus on food contact-surface sanitation, especially in restaurants, is recommended.